Sodales
by Anne Raven
Summary: The much awaited companion fic of From the Books of Ovid. A curse, destiny, a thread of life and the two people who share it - the Fates of ancient mythology had done it again. Who ever said that only mortals had problems?
1. Prologue: The Moirae's Song

A/n: Yes... it's the companion fic of _From the Books of Ovid _by request. As promised to satomika... I've put up Chapter 5 of MIAB and therefore posted this too. I'm one productive little bee this week because I'm weaning from all that reviewing. Sure I need to study hard but information overload isn't technically good for my brain, right?

This is dedicated to everyone who reviewed _From the Books of Ovid: _**satomika, EiRist-chan, thepinkmartini, crystaliz, FukuWija**_ and _**aki reinhart.**

**Reminder: **None of the events in FBO will ever be mentioned here. I just took the same concepts from that fic and adapted them here.

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own FoR. I also do not own Greek mythology.

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Sodales by Anne Raven

**Prologue: The Moirae's Song**

**In the Grand throne room of the Atlantean Palace, City of Atlantis. Enter the Fates [chants the 'Lay of Sodales']**

**The Fates: Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos. **

…_For oft,_

'_Tis men on earth encounter woe,_

_By nature's wrath or hateful foe;_

_But lo, the gods who dwell up high_

_Know no escape from grief._

_Listen well, oh lord of the sea._

_Thy father's lies, thy mother's curse_

_And the whims of the Moirae three_

_Shall bring thou pain not due to thee._

**Clotho.**

_Immortal soul halfed at birth,_

_Thread of life shared by two,_

_Woven into one another's fate,_

_Rise and find your heart's true mate._

**Lachesis.**

_Silver-haired son of Oceanus, ward against deceit._

_The search for the one is no easy feat._

_Guard thy heart under lock and key;_

_But, use thy heart not sight to see._

**Atropos.**

_Beware cold lord, make no mistake._

_Be wary of the final vows you take._

_To one who's false, if promises were made,_

_Half your spirit shall surely fade._

**The Fates.**

_Son of the sea, you have been warned._

'_Tis time to end our call._

_A reminder to one and all,_

_Never let go of a soulmate._

**Exit Fates. The curtains are drawn and the audience applaud the actors.**

Tokiya scowled. This was not his idea of entertainment. He did not travel to the Theatre of Dionysus in Athens to listen to a lay he was well acquainted with.

Kauro could feel the waves of displeasure rolling off from his king. Tokiya was never known for patience and wasting time was high on his list of heinous offenses. And he hated being away from his capital for extended periods of time if it weren't official business. If it were possible, he would have chosen Atlantis as his mistress.

His ministers, Kauro included, had a hard time convincing him to take days off but once in a while, they succeeded. Like today. Tokiya may be a god but his advisers knew he also needed a break from the tedium of court life every now and then.

Tokiya was about to leave when another deity decided to grace the mortals with his presence that evening. In one of the other seats reserved for the gods, like the one Tokiya vacated, Dionysus himself appeared.

"Enipemus, my boy, what displeases you so? Are my actors not good enough? Well yes, they hardly resemble the Moirae but pardon that fact as very few mortals ever get the opportunity to see them. And when they do, they usually end up dead." Dionysus said while offering a goblet of wine.

Tokiya took the drink and sat down beside the god of the vine.

"Bacchus, your actors are good, your plays are the best in the world. I assure you, I have no quarrel with them." He said after taking a sip of the wine.

"Ah yes, your quarrels are with those whom they portray. Look not disheartened, young one. Who knows, she may be here; perhaps one of the performers, or the playwrights, or even amongst the audience." He said waving a hand towards the people he mentioned.

"I have a feeling that I would know if we stood in the same room." Tokiya said curtly.

"If I may suggest, go to Delphi and consult with the Archer-god. Apollo will know what you should do." The dark-haired god stated not taking his eyes off the younger water-god.

Tokiya was contemplating. Going to Delphi was not a bad idea and he was sure Apollo would grant him audience.

"I will have to refer to my schedule first but rest assured, your advice does not fall on deaf ears." He finished his wine which made the goblet vanish and slightly bowed towards the older deity indicating respect and that he was leaving.

"Before you go, Enipemus." Dionysus raised a hand as a gesture to ask him to pause for a while. "Your father and mother express their desire to see you."

Tokiya looked back at the god and his eyebrows creased instantaneously. "Please tell them that… I am not in the condition to meet with them yet." He uttered.

"I will be sure to relay your message to Oceanus and Tethys. Well then, Tokiya, I will see you some other time." With that Dionysus resumed his attention to the next set of performers.

Kauro bowed low at the waist towards the Wine god and followed Tokiya who left unceremoniously.

Tokiya stopped at the end of one of the aisles and swept the theatre with one final gaze wondering where she whom the Fates had called the **One **was.

-TBC-

**Character check**:

**The Moirae **– The Fates of ancient Greek mythology who decided the destiny of every being. There were three of them: Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos. Clotho weaves the thread of life, Lachesis weaves the tapestry of life and Atropos cuts the thread at the appointed time of death.

**Dionysus/ Bacchus** – One of the greater gods of the earth, the other being Demeter. He is the ancient Greek god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy, and was also the driving force behind Greek theater.

**Vocabulary look up**:

**Sodales - **Latin word meaning _Soulmates_

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A/N: There you go... The next installment may take a while because I want to finish my other fics first but since I did promise this...

Anyways... Please do leave a review... Huggles...

Lovelots,

Anne Raven

PS

Please pray for me for my licensure exams. Believe me, prayers do help.


	2. Act I

A/N: Okay, I did promise that I would update this and it has been a little over a month already… anyways I have a lot to explain so enough with the dilly-dallying.

First, I would like to answer a question posted by satomika-chan. About the use of both Greek and Roman/ Latin names of the gods in this fic, it actually depends on the character who thinks or speaks the name. The characters who are considered born Greek in this fic will naturally use Greek names and the specific races will be using the Roman names. Neon does a better explanation of this in Scene III of this chapter.

Also, I'd like to encourage you guys to read the **character checks, vocabulary look-ups and context disambiguation, and mythological cross-referencing** I've provided before the author's end notes. They will help readers understand this fic better since I can not put everything in the narrative. And I would not include the 12 Olympians and other famous gods in the character checks since any reader of mythology probably know them by heart but if you guys want added info just tell me and I'll give them decent character checks.

Acknowledgments:

**Satomika-chan**: I hope I answered your question and if there are any more questions you'd like to ask feel free to do so. Thanks for the support. And good luck with your duties. Duties are meant to be enjoyed despite the fact that they are tiresome. That's from experience, sweetheart.

**Aki-chan**: I know you're pretty busy what with the first week of classes in the new year. I hope Sodales finds a place with you like the way you support Other God and MIAB. I truly enjoy reading reviews from you. About my writing style. I think I've never used the same writing style for any of my fics. And I'm glad you like the way I write. I try my best to find a style that would best deliver a story everytime.

**Crystaliz**: anything for readers like you. And expect you'd be a regular in my A/N's… hehe… this chapter is specially for readers like you. Hope you enjoy this.

**Shenhui**: I'm glad you find the story interesting and I do hope this chapter meets expectations.

On to the Fic…

Standard Disclaimer still applies.

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Sodales by Anne Raven

**Act I**

**Scene I**

And the center of the world was Delphi where Phoebus sits on his throne of truth and speaks to men. The Sanctuary of Apollo, known as _Phaedriades _in the ancient world, was situated on the slopes of Mt. Parnassus where the sacred spring of Castalia bubbles up and the river Cephissus flows freely. A breathtaking view overlooking the Pleistos Valley and the adjacent surroundings was enough to make anyone come for a return visit. But it was not the reason why hordes of pilgrims from all over the world came.

Seekers of Truth would give up their entire fortunes for a chance to sit with Apollo's Oracle who spoke,

_[1] Words untainted by shadows and honey sweet lies_

_From Apollo whose Truth is unquestionable_

_That even gods come down from high Olympus to listen. _

Neon was appreciating the beautiful landscape. She knew Tokiya would enjoy this vacation. She planned this trip meticulously and as custom dictates, those born lower in rank always arrive earlier than their superiors. She was no exception. She perfectly knew her position in the grand scheme of things. She was far from being like Tokiya who was born a god and was handpicked by Poseidon, patron god of Atlantis, to be his city's king. Though she was born an aristocrat like Kauro, she was no native of Atlantis and she was scarred, deeply scarred. She was a princess born in Elis but grew up in Thessaly but she could not, by any means, return to her roots. She wanted to change that. She would distinguish herself once more, specially in Tokiya's eyes. But she dreaded that this arranged meeting would crush all her dreams.

There were few palmers that day but the prophetess had told her her king would have to wait a while longer. Apparently, Apollo granted audience to another suppliant. This does not bode well. Neon knew Tokiya was at times prone to bouts of impatience. Yet, she could not help but wonder who the other visitor was, important enough to be entertained by the Pythian god.

Whenever Tokiya left Atlantis, Kauro usually accompanied him. When the rest of the Atlantean lords asked the king why, he simply shrugs off the question. When asked the same question, Kauro simply tells them that Tokiya thinks he is his personal bodyguard and with his skill with Kougan Anki, no one dares deny his proficiency as a warrior. Beyond words, Kauro knew Tokiya trusted him the most. He was like an older brother and so the devotion was natural between them.

They knew each other well enough to know why the water-god was good-humored despite being told to wait until the Delphic lord finished his earlier appointments. The moment the Oracle left promising them to notify them the moment Apollo was available, Tokiya turned to Kauro.

"I want to see more of Delphi. I had always wanted to see Castalia and see for myself the driving force of many classical works' poetic inspiration." He said in his usual commanding tone.

"Yes, of course. And we're going to visit the Python's cave too, right?" Kauro grinned.

"It's not right to impose on our king, Kauro." Neon chastised.

"Let him, Neon." Tokiya said then started walking expecting the younger man to follow then added, "Wait for the priestess here, Neon, then come look for us when Apollo is available."

**Scene II**

It was no surprise that Tokiya wanted to see Delphi's sacred spring. He was a water-god after all, the only legacy he gladly accepted from his Titan father. He had wanted to see Cephissus as well but would rather not risk a run in with his brother for whom the river was named.

He left Kauro as the young Atlantean further explored the cave where the epic battle between Apollo and the Python occurred. He was leisurely walking towards one of two fountains where Castalia flowed and he could already hear the rippling of the water. As a gentle breeze assaulted him, he noted that it was a perfect day. Bright blue skies, accommodating weather, there was only one thing missing. **Her**…

He was nearing the marble-lined basin of the Castalian fountain when he heard the soft chuckle that wafted along with the wind. There he saw a maiden,

_[2]Whose smile was warm and bright_

_Like Helios in his chariot of golden sunlight_

_And beauty that the nymphs would covet._

_Violet-crowned maiden, fairest of the fair_

_Happy is he who sees you._

She was beautiful and something about her was definitely divine. Tokiya grabbed a fistful of his dark blue robe just above his heart where an ache of longing issued the moment he laid his eyes on her. He would've convinced himself that he was dreaming if it weren't for that pain. He wanted to touch her but refused to move lest she disappear. He watched the wind play with her waist-length hair arranged with a couple of narcissus and anemones adorning her braids. He traced the luscious curves that were barely concealed by her pale purple robes, a color only nobilities were allowed to wear, that fell in waves around her form.

The leaves of the laurel tree that shaded the bench she was sitting on rustled as a strong gust of wind passed and she let go of the wreath she was holding as she struggled to hold her skirts in place.

A glimpse of pale flesh…

Cupid must be playing with him. He swore if this was an illusion, he would hunt down the love-god himself.

And as she lifted her head after the turbulence passed, his pale blue eyes fleetingly connected with her deep blue ones before she was called by one of her companions.

"Lady Apellia, his Grace calls you."

She nodded to her companion and left. Still dazed from the sight he saw, he didn't notice Kauro walk towards him until the Atlantean tapped his shoulder.

"What's up? You look like Medusa got a good look at you." Kauro asked.

Tokiya shook his head once and said, "I just saw the most beautiful thing my eyes ever came across."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. No wonder a lot of poets get inspired by Castalia." Kauro beamed flashing his signature fangs unwitting of the vision that lingered in his friend's mind.

**Scene III**

**γνωθι σεαυτόν**

(gnothi seauton)

Apellia was reading the inscriptions carved on the limestone walls of the temple. This particular phrase caught her attention and she fingered the engraving reverently.

"Know thyself." She whispered her mind racing towards thoughts of the past, present and future.

She was so intent on the markings that she did not realize that a tall, red-headed woman was about to collide into her.

Neon was mentally listing the places where Tokiya and Kauro may have gone that she did not notice she was on a collision course with a maiden who appeared to be as still as the statues that adorned the place.

One more step then… thud!

Neon found herself on the cold hard floor of the temple after being knocked over by Zeus knows what.

"By Jove! Are you alright?" The unknown maiden asked.

Neon realized that it was this maiden she accidentally bumped into.

"Sorry, I wasn't looking." She said as she looked up at the maiden.

"No, I wasn't paying attention as well." The lady said, her pretty face dimpling as she smiled.

She was quite young or at least younger than Neon was; of noble birth, a dead giveaway by the purple robes she wore but her regal stance tells it all. As Neon looked at the younger girl, she internally cursed Aphrodite's injustice. How could the goddess give such a young girl the body that wasn't possible for her until she was a grown woman?

She was obviously a foreigner. She had called Zeus by his Latin name Jove like native Romans, Atlanteans and those from Asia Minor. She wasn't Greek like Neon was who never picked up the habit of calling the gods by their Roman names despite her years in Atlantis, a feat Tokiya who is also born Greek easily mastered.

"Are you alright?" The maiden asked again.

Neon nodded as she grasped her hand and stood up. She noted the softness of the hand, as expected from a woman of her position, but firm and she vaguely wondered if the lady knew how to wield weapons. She was sturdy as well judging from the way she didn't seem fazed by the collision. There was something about her that was not ordinary and something that was familiar to Neon like a half-remembered dream.

"You! What are you doing to Lady Apellia?" A girl with short hair and oculars said.

"What is it to you?" Neon retaliated.

"Don't you know who she is? Show some respect. She is Lady Apellia, daughter of the King of Winds." The short-haired woman said.

"Maya, that is enough! Where is father?" Apellia reprimanded her companion.

Neon whipped her head towards Apellia and appraised her once more. How unexpected. A relative. This one seems to be thoroughly pampered. She did not know her grandfather had another child and by the looks of it, this was a favorite.

"I'm sorry. Maya tends to overreact sometimes." Apellia smiled apologetically.

Neon nodded and watched Apellia leave followed closely by Maya, glaring with disdain aimed at the Royal House that left her broken.

**Scene IV**

If Oceanus had never been unfaithful to Tethys then there would be no need for him to be here. He would not have to consult Apollo if his mother never cursed him to assure that at least one god in the history of the world would remain faithful to his wife. As noble as it sounds, it wasn't exactly a joyride knowing and feeling that your world was askew because half yourself was missing.

As Tokiya walked towards the Delphic lord's chamber, a force compelled him to stop and look at the wall where a single line was beckoning him to it.

**γνωθι σεαυτόν**

Yes, that was why he was here.

Phoebus Apollo gave him a quick scrutiny as he raked his eyes up and down his form. Normally, Tokiya never felt anxious when in front of other people; he always made sure he was presentable, from the set of his long silver-gray hair to his blue robes of a rich Atlantean silk. Still, he felt a little awkward in front of the older Olympian to whom the Truth is never concealed.

"I had always wondered when you'll come to me, Enipemus." Apollo said.

"Please, Phoebus, I'd rather be called Tokiya." He informed the god after frowning at the mention of his birth name.

"I know. I just wanted to see your reaction if I called you your true name." The god's lips raised into a mischievous smile taking note of the way Tokiya's eyebrows knitted. "I have one question though."

"What is it?"

"When you discover where she is, what will you do next?"

Tokiya remained silent. He had not actually thought what would happen after he finds the One. He had always assumed that the moment he finds her, she would easily come with him. But Phoebus' question pushed his perspectives to the other facets of his predicament. They may share souls but she definitely had a life of her own. What if she refused to acknowledge that they were halves of the same whole? What then?

Tokiya scowled. "I'll think about that. What's important is that I do find her. Where is she?"

Apollo placed a hand on his shoulder and said in a voice that was clouded by prophecy,

_[3]On a clear summer day_

_In the company of Gaea's gifts and Persephone's fall,_

_There where the water runs and the wind blows gently_

_You can find her._

_And the first thing you notice about her is her smile._

"Can you be more specific?"

Apollo laughed shortly. "I have seen many a desperate man but I never thought I'd see a desperate god."

Tokiya glared which amused the Olympian.

"Be patient, Tokiya. Fate has ways of bringing her to you. But I should warn you; it will be a long journey." Apollo snickered at the water-god's churlishness and repeated his words.

"Be patient."

-TBC-

**Character Check**:

**Kishi Maya** – is a character from Flame of Recca who plays as Apellia's lady-in-waiting. She is unique to the manga and appears only once in the whole series. (See FoR manga volume 7)

**Vocabulary look-up and Context disambiguation:**

**Violet- crowned maiden, fairest of the fair**

The line does not mean that Apellia wears a violet crown. It means she is violet-haired.

**γνωθι σεαυτόν** – Greek; it reads gnothi seauton which translates as _know thyself_

**In the company of Gaea's gifts and Persephone's fall**

Gaea's gifts would refer to plants and animals. Gaea is Mother Earth in Greek mythology and it would be natural to think of Nature as her gift. Persephone's fall would refer to wild flowers/ spring flowers but most specifically the narcissus.

**[1],[2],[3] – **All of these passages are originally done by me after studying the style used in mythology books and Ovid's _Metamorphoses _so if they read like ancient Greek passages credits are due to **Ovid **and **Hamilton**.

**Mythological cross-referencing**:

In mythology, Tethys is Oceanus wife and the mother of the Oceanids and the Potamoi. She remains to bu thus in this fic. For this fic, Tokiya is considered as one of the Potamoi (river-gods) and later on, Mifuyu who is to play as an Oceanid will appear. However, there is another set of offsprings sired by Oceanus. They are known as the Cercopes twins and their mother is Theia. For the purposes of this fic, this mythological fact predisposes Tokiya's predicament.

In this fic, Tethys, while pregnant with Enipemus (Tokiya), discovers that Theia is also pregnant with the Cercopes by Oceanus. Angered by such display of infidelity, she curses the child in her womb to never be capable of marital faithlessness. As a result of this, the Moirae opted to split Tokiya's thread of lifeso that it could be woven into the tapestry of life of the one woman he is destined to be with. The only way for him to piece the two halves together is to marry the woman who shares his thread.

This is based from the belief that once a man and woman marry, they become one. This will also mean that Tokiya can never marry or allow himself to be committed to a woman who is not the One because once his life's tapestry is joined with another, the missing half would be displaced and can no longer return to him causing its eventual death. The same is true for the woman. Any act that would prevent the joining of the two halves would result to the death of the missing half.

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A/N: Okay…I know you guys already know that I am one heck of a lazy proof-reader so excuse the typos and grammatical errors. I usually correct them whenever I post the next chapter. (Why so long? haha) I hope you liked the chapter enough to leave a review. If you guys need further explanations, feel free to inform me. I hope the passages read as if they were taken from some dead ancient poet because that was the effect I was aiming for. Thank you for reading and see you on the next chapter. By the way, does anyone have a translated copy of Plato's _Timaeus_ and _Criticas_? My Greek is poor and I can only boast that I can read Greek but really, reading and understanding are two very different things. I can't seem to find one at this moment and need the info for Atlantis. If you do please PM me. It will help a lot to improve this fic.

Yours,

Anne Raven


	3. ActII

A/N: I absolutely like the way last chapter came out as. And I think I'll be personally making verses for the rest of the fic. Sodlaes is geared to be the most poetic of my works (I think)

Acknowledgments:

Aki-chan: Fuuko's side of the world as promised.

Eirist-chan: At first I did want to use verses from books but I can't find ones that would ,perfectly fit so I decided to make my own. I have this longstanding love affair with greek myth and not so long ago I developed a liking for greek lit but the only lit I did read were those from the great philosophers. You know, Phaedo, the Republic and recently Timaeus and Critias. I hope you like this chapter.

crystaliz-chan: If you can grab a copy of Ovid's Metamorphoses that would be great (highly recommended). For starters, you could grab Hamilton's Timeless Tales of heroes and gods. About Fuuko, I remember Fuuko when she first fought Recca with Fuujin in the anime series. I was so mesmerized because she was dang graceful when she air-skated. but you're right, see how spunky she gets in this chapter.

satomika-chan: I'll be using Spanish for one of my future fics. Not so fluent but I get to practice with my mom who until recently I didn't know finished Spanish 1-4 when she was in college. (the things you discover about your folks are sometimes freaky)

Shirayuki-chan: here's what happens next.

Enjoy reading and please review for my and the next chapter's sake. BTW Happy Valentines.

Disclaimer: I don't own FoR and it's characters. Anzai-sama does. I don't own Greek myth. All myth facts were taken from various poets but mainly from Homer, Virgil, Hesiod and Ovid(my personal favorite). Historical, geographical, cultural and racial facts from various philosophers such as Plato, Plutarch, Aristotle and Socrates. (Yes I took a lot from the dead guys.) All I do own in this fic is the plot.

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Sodales by Anne Raven

**Act II**

**Scene I **

_[1]Half the Hellenic kingdoms governed under one tree_

_Whose root resides from across the sea._

_Fair maids and heroes thy House begat;_

_Mighty Aeolus and his Aeolids._

Of a tall and straight build with fairly light skin and reddish-blonde hair and deep blue eyes that sparkle, Aeolus undoubtedly inherited the genes of Greek aristocracy from his mother Arne, a princess of Thessaly. But fairer was he than the youth of his age, more noble, more eminent, hinting that his heritage was not mere mortal for he was the son of Poseidon, the Earthshaker.

So favored was he by the Olympians Twelve that Zeus Almighty gave him the title King, his vassals, the winds of the compass rose – Boreas, Zephyr, Notus and Eurus – as well as the destructive forces of the Anemoi and Thuellai.

Yes, he was an equal of the gods.

Like men were wont, he sought a wife that would suit his status. With a silent prayer to the gods, his veins burning with contained force and hope that his divine father was watching over him, he dared to cross the Mediterranean.

With his ethereal gifts, safe passage was assured to him. And leagues away from home, he found the fair Enarete, daughter of the Liparan King Deimachus. With her, he had seven sons and six daughters in an abode bound in bronze in the middle of the Tyrrhenian, soon after his coronation called the Aeolian Islands.

All his sons journeyed back to his homeland where each had been given a kingdom to rule and his daughters had been equally blessed with their marriages. Thus the Aeolids prospered over the kingdoms of Thessaly, Elis, Corinth and Messenia to name but a few. But like all the other Royal Houses, theirs had a fair share of tragedy. As majestic as the Aeolids were, none of them had been born with a trace of their father's celestial ancestry. Misfortune after misfortune sent each of them on a premature path to Tartarus, mortal as they were.

Enarete mourned night and day, shed bitter tears like pregnant rain clouds and finally succumbed to the summons of Death hastened by grief. Aeolus could only watch his heart sinking as he gripped the lifeless hand.

Such is the curse of those who were destined to live forever …

When Hera came to him and asked him to stir the winds so that Aenas of Troy and his crew would drown at sea, he wasted no time in doing so. It was not because he was keen on helping the Immortal Queen but because he was highly interested in the bribe. The fairest nymph in Hera's suite was waiting for him in exchange for this small favor, given the nature of his powers. He did what was asked of him and Aenas would've drowned if Poseidon himself did not interfere. His father, knowing that it was Hera's doing, only mock-scolded him. But he did his side of the bargain and Hera could not hold back her promise.

Her name was Deiopea, the most beautiful nymph that ever crossed his path with raven hair that glinted blue in the sun, expressive amethyst eyes and fair complexion that almost glowed, of Lydian descent and much favored by Hera. There was absolutely no reason for him to regret the deal. With her, his heartaches would finally end. Nymphs may not be immortal but the length of their lives was comparable to the gods and if he took very good care of her, they would share eternity together.

And so, Deiopea had been thoroughly cared for, a task Aeolus himself made sure. The constant companionship, the intense desire to protect and the undeniable attraction had so endeared her to him that he grew to love every fiber of her being. His love for her was such that he believed nothing could equal or surpass it. But then, he was proven wrong.

By their union, the last and most beloved of his children was born. The child was undoubtedly blessed by the gods with the deep blue eyes of the father, the mother's beauty and hair of a rare shade of red that it was purple under the sun; something Aeolus had often jested as the product of his strawberry-blonde mixed with Deiopea's blue-black. But more importantly, the babe inherited what his deceased children dreamed of possessing, divinity.

"It was to be expected." Poseidon said when Aeolus and Deiopea presented the infant to him. "A god's offspring with a mortal rarely becomes divine but a child with a nymph is never mortal."

The god of the sea cradled the baby for the first time and smiled at the sound of its laughter.

"She adores you, father." Aeolus noted.

Poseidon arched an eyebrow and flashed an amused grin. "You passed on your affinity for the Air element to her but I dare say she is attracted to Water or it could be that Water is strongly attracted to her and she is aware of it. Rain and rain clouds, those I see."

"Lord Neptune, would you agree if we christen her in your presence?" Deiopea asked.

"I would be delighted to preside over her christening." The Olympian replied.

Still holding the child, he raised his trident which glowed and illuminated the whole of the throne room in his palace beneath the waves. In a low rumbling voice which seemed to shake the entire ocean floor, he spoke, "I, Poseidon, god of the sea, second only to Zeus the Thunderer bear witness as we name thee…"

He lifted the child with one hand and waited as Deiopea, whose inherent right it was as the babe's mother, named her, "Apellia."

"Apellia…" Poseidon continued, "Child of my child therefore mine as well, I confirm your Right of Divinity and welcome you to the congregation of the deathless gods."

At that moment, the light from Poseidon's trident waned and, not long after, was completely extinguished. The Naiads, the lesser gods of the sea, the Nereids and other attendants in Poseidon's underwater kingdom cheered.

But the divinities – Poseidon, Aeolus, Triton, Nereus and Proteus – froze in shock. Deiopea froze in horror.

This was not supposed to happen. The trident should not have lost its luminescence yet.

And yes, it meant that something was wrong.

**Scene II**

"Apellia," called a young man who patiently waited on the young maiden. "I say it is about time to wed. I have long exhausted my patience on this overdue preparation. Surely, you do not want to get married in winter, do you? Say aye and I will secure thy father's blessing."

Apellia ignored his proposal and finished stringing her bow. She secured her armguards and tested her weapon by drawing on the string. Satisfied, she finally looked at the young man who smiled at her, hiding all the traces of annoyance at the girl's reluctance. She smiled sweetly in return.

"I have answered your question a hundred times already, Raiha. But I'm afraid I still have to give you the same answer. I am truly sorry."She stated apologetically as she placed a hand on her bosom in an affected manner.

Squinting so that she could see the far end of the field nearest her father's palace despite the bright midafternoon sun, she signaled towards the two companions waiting for her command.

"Is there no way I could change your mind?" Raiha implored using the softest tone he could muster.

As though hearing nothing, Apellia gripped her bow tighter and shouted, "Anytime you're ready, Domon."

"Yes, Lady Apellia." The brawny man answered and winked at the maiden.

Maya whacked the loyal guard's head and threw death glares at him warning him not to fantasize about their mistress. Domon smiled sheepishly and focused his attention on the task at hand. Picking up one from a pile of clay discuses specially made for the Aeolian princess, he readied to assist her in her favorite sport.

Unannounced, Domon threw the disk with all his might. Apellia, seeing that the discus was airborne, quickly took an arrow from her quiver, nocked it and drew in one smooth motion. She aimed for the briefest moment and released. Seconds later, they heard the sound of shattering clay.

The arrow found its mark.

Domon flung another and another and another. And every time, Apellia hit her target until only one discus was left. On that last shot before she could release the arrow, Raiha pulled a dagger out of his belt and threw, hitting the disk and ending Apellia's little game.

He turned and walked away but after only three steps, he stopped and looked back.

"Next time, I do not wish to see you wear something so revealing." He hissed as he raked his eyes over the short green hunting frock that barely covered her thighs, sneered then left.

Maya and Domon ran towards her; when they were near her and she was sure that Raiha was no longer in the field, she squealed in frustration and stomped her foot.

"Did he reprimand you again?" Domon asked.

"What do you think?" Apellia questioned rhetorically. "Maya let's go home. I'm no longer in a good mood today. I'm sorry we can't help you clean this mess, Domon." She spun her sandaled heels and walked towards the palace.

"Lord Raiha is getting impatient, is he?" Maya opened when they reached the suite of rooms swathed in luxurious lavender satin. Receiving no answer, the attendant continued, "Apellia, you should be three years married by now. Custom dictates that a maiden of fifteen is ready for marriage. For Juno's sake, you're already eighteen and still a virgin. Lord Raiha has a right to be impatient." Maya said as she closed the double doors to Apellia's chambers.

"Can we not talk about virginity?" She replied sporting a disgusted look. "You know I'm not ready to get married. And Raiha, I like him, yes; but, he's more like a brother to me and I hate it when he treats me like I'm a damsel-in-distress because I am not one." She ranted while seating herself like an Indian on a divan.

"Is that why the Governor-General of Strongyle is in the throne room ranting about incooperation?" Deiopea's voice went ahead of her as she emerged from Apellia's boudoir followed by two ladies-in-waiting.

Apellia sighed as she faced her mother with pleading eyes. Deiopea smiled at her only child and instructed all the attendants to leave the receiving room. Apellia sat straight when Deiopea seated herself beside her daughter.

"Tell me what troubles you, dearest." She crooned when the attendants left.

Apellia buried her face in her hands and muttered, "for the life of me, mother, I can not marry Raiha. Yes, I love him, in a way, but I'm not **in love** with him." She looked at the queen with a face twisted by discomfiture. "Am I making sense?" She added.

"I understand what you mean, dear." She replied while she ran a hand to smooth the tangles in the girl's hair. "Remember this child, no one is going to force you in this."

"Raiha and his father are trying. And one of the things that I hate the most is that Raiha is wooing me only because his father tells him to." She sulked.

Deiopea giggled. "The point is, your father and I won't. For us, the most important decision regarding your marriage will come from you. It may not be Raiha but your husband-to-be is out there, somewhere."

Apellia sighed deeply wondering what it was like to be truly in love and who would make her feel that.

**Scene III**

Apellia shrugged her shawl higher up her shoulders fending off the cold night breeze, her fine cotton dress incapable of doing so, as she leaned on the balcony railing. Autumn was indeed just around the corner and she could feel it from the shifting winds. She fingered the edge of the fabric wrapped around her and gazed at the intricately woven pattern with sparkling blue orbs. It told the story of Daphne and how the god Apollo pursued her.

Was she like Daphne? Always running away from love and prospects of marriage, no matter how desirable the match was. What if Cupid did not interfere in the nymph's affairs? Would there be a possibility for Daphne to fall in love with the Archer-god? Or could she have possibly found a man she could fall in love with on her own?

What was it like to have someone who loves you, truly loves you? A love that was strong enough that a man would willingly follow a woman until the ends of the earth. And yet, Apollo was rejected. How much did it hurt to be rejected by the very first love of your life?

Ack! Too many questions that would never find answers. She should stop analyzing stories too much. Apellia thought. The events of the past could no longer change and Daphne would remain to be Apollo's beloved laurel tree which will forever wreathe the brow of his victors.

"Apellia," a tender voice called her.

She turned and smiled even before she came face to face with her father.

"Your mother tells me you are deeply troubled. I think it is quite time for us to have a small talk." Aeolus said as he stood beside his daughter.

Her face immediately fell and she moved to face the far off horizon where the full moon climbed higher up the sky with the stars twinkling away.

After taking one deep breath, she muttered, "Father, I can not marry Raiha."

"I know. And I'm not forcing you to. I have already spoken with the governor and there really isn't much he could do. I am king, after all." He playfully winked at her.

Apellia chortled. "You enjoy exercising your power and authority too much, father. Now, I think I'm feeling sorry. I hope you were gentle." She joshed as she gently slapped her _pater_'s arm.

Aeolus grinned at his daughter's little, and very unlady-like, gestures. He had often wondered why his daughter grew up to be such a woman of many contradictions. She was well-pampered but despite that kind of upbringing, she never became clingy; she was rather very independent. She had many guards offering the best security with Maya and Domon at her disposal at any hour but she'd rather fight than run from any dispute. She was born with access to the most dainty things and beauty from the gods themselves but she was never vain. In fact, he dreaded that she'd decide she was more male than she was female.

She had an appetite for knowledge that rivaled Tantalus' hunger. But most of all, she was born with a heart that was as strong and as brave as the best of heroes. She'll make it through any obstacle that comes her way. Even the ones he'll put her through.

"Father, you said we needed to talk." What is it that you want to talk about?" Apellia asked when she noticed Aeolus spacing out.

Aeolus smiled a fond smile at the last of his children. "Do you know why we went to Delphi about a month ago?" He asked.

She smiled sheepishly. "Okay, I honestly don't know."

Apellia may not know why her father insisted that she accompany him to Delphi but she absolutely can not forget the trip.

"Never forget this day, lovely Apellia." She remembered Phoebus tell her while he cupped her face with both his strong hands making her blush.

And she blushed again at the thought of the god's proximity earning an arched eyebrow from Aeolus who noticed that his daughter's face turned pink.

"Stop playing with me, father, and tell me already, please." Apellia quipped as she covered her cheeks with both her hands.

Aeolus chuckled at his daughter's reaction. He gently ruffled the young girl's long tresses. He'll miss moments like this.

"It is no secret to you how your brothers and sisters died." The King of Winds began.

Apellia immediately pouted. This was a topic she always refrained discussing due to its morbid nature.

Aeolus knew this and said, "I know how you hate to talk about these things but for now, we must."

"Must we? I do not see why we have to."

Apellia was determined not to have this conversation but Aeolus felt otherwise and opened the topic before his daughter wheedled her way out of it by reciting a verse –

_[2]Aeolus, son of Hellen and Poseidon alike,_

_Immortal father of mortal kings,_

_By your hand, half thy children dead._

_The rest, by their wicked ways._

"It was not your fault, father." Apellia stated with grim determination.

"Diretly or indirectly, it was, Apellia. It was."

"What does that have to do with our visit to Delphi?" She asked irately.

"I had a dream, " he began but Aeolus paused unsure if he should share that specific dream with her because it was not just a colorful play of colors behind his closed lids; it was also a memory.

So he opted to meet things halfway. "Among my children, you are the only divine but… you do not belong with the deathless gods."

An ephemeral vision of a trident's dimming glow…

Apellia looked at her father with confusion evident in her features. She had often heard that amongst the Aeolids, she was the special one. But to be a goddess of sorts and yet be subject to death, this she could not comprehend.

"In Deplhi, I found out that it would be my decisions, again, that would endanger your life." He explained. "If I were to make one wrong decision for you, you would die."

Apellia vehemently shook her head. "Father, there must be a mistake. Eighteen years passed and apparently nothing bad happened to me."

"You were not ripe yet." He nonchalantly answered. "Apellia, listen to me…" And he told her of his meeting with the Delian god and repeated the prophetic verse he was given.

_At the peak of flowery youth,_

_The last petal shall fall_

_Lest the root let her wander_

_Towards the life-giving blue._

"Phoebus Apollo does not make mistakes. And I would not have you dead like your brothers and sisters. Understand that what I want you to do is not easy but it is what's best for you." Aeolus pleaded while he cupped her cheeks willing his seventh daughter to grant his wish.

Apellia had always been daddy's little girl and despite the foreboding feeling she had, she could not deny her father's request. She closed her eyes, breathed deeply and said, "What is it that I am to do?"

Aeolus smiled but a sad smile it was. He kissed his daughter's forehead, the last for possibly a very long time and spoke, "I want you to leave Lipara and the Aeolian Islands. Go far where my decisions will have no effect on you. Live anew in Lydia, your mother's home and cross the sea, the life-giving blue.

**Scene IV**

Lydia was one of the more prominent kingdoms in Asia Minor. It was home to the famous Lydian archers, the symbolic labrys and known for the vast deposits of gold in the River Pactolus where Midas relinquished his golden touch.

It was once the home of Deiopea and now, she would have to embrace it once again. But she will not do it alone. She had Apellia with her.

Because she was naturally born Lydian, she was welcomed with open arms and, in extension, so was Apellia. Since she was a nymph from the suite of Juno, the Temple of Sardis where the goddess was highly venerated took them in and gave Deiopea a position of high office.

There in her assigned room, Apellia contemplated on the life she left behind: her home, her friends, her father. She still could not grasp why she needed to leave and why she agreed to it, for that matter.

"Lady Apellia, the queen wishes you to join her in the garden." Domon's voice boomed from outside her bedroom door.

Yes, her personal guard/childhood friend was allowed to accompany her and her mother on this plight on account of 'security issues' and his capability to remain inconspicuous, according to Domon himself. Inconspicuous her foot! But she was glad the big man was able to convince her father.

At least, she gets to keep one more thing in her life.

"Domon, don't you dare call mother _queen_ again. We talked about that. And please, drop the _lady _when you call or speak to me just like we do in private. Tell her to give me a few minutes." She shouted in response and heard him walk away.

She was sorting the things she brought with her. Most of the clothes she brought along were hunting frocks, one or two formal dresses, a few leggings and tunics; all of them were either in a shade of green or immaculate white. No longer would she be forced to wear anything in the royal shade of purple because, her new life didn't include her being royalty.

She was quite ready to live a new life… QUITE.

Apellia looked outside the wide window of her new room, considerably smaller than the one she had in Lipara but she didn't mind. It faced the east side garden around the temple. She figured her mother was waiting in the west side garden where she was most likely savoring the last rays of the sun for the day.

A few children were playing in the garden and a little boy with coppery red hair caught her attention. Most Lydians had dark hair and so the said boy was easily singled out. She was briefly reminded of her father. True, he had strawberry-blonde hair but she'd be lucky to encounter someone with the same shade this side of the world.

She would have completely dismissed the boy, really. She had a more interesting hair color, after all. But it was what he held that changed her mind.

Up and down the blue ball bounced followed by her eyes which were equally blue. And at one moment, no longer subject to gravity's force but by the little boy's hand which was holding it aloft.

Reminiscence of a time when her father gave her a ball similar to what she saw came and her father told her, "When you can defy gravity not with thy hands but by the strength of your will, then you shall be ready, Child of the Wind."

She assumed that he meant the proficiency of her use of her power but she couldn't shrug off the feeling that he was hinting at something else.

Apellia tried to keep it a secret from her father. She had meant to show Aeolus her control of the Air element, which she perfected quite recently, on her birthday. Sadly, she and her mother left before that. But maybe, just maybe, Aeolus already knew.

That was when the grief came and overwhelmed her.

She quickly averted her gaze from the boy and his ball. Look at anything, anything but that. She chanted to herself. Her blue eyes landed on the intricately wrought iron frame of the mirror where her own face greeted her. But there was no spark of recognition in those cerulean eyes almost as if the reflection belonged to a stranger. She curiously approached it and reached out until her fingers met cold glass.

Change – that was what she needed. A flicker of light caught her eye. The object responsible for it was placed on an ottoman not too far away and answered her dire need.

Picking up a bejeweled dagger, a gift from her father which came with a beautifully carved wooden bow given to her before she left the Aeolian Islands, she studied herself in the mirror once more.

She held the dagger at an angle and positioned it at the side of her head. And with great force… started hewing her hair.

A great mass of purple strands collected at her feet, her sight blurred by the tears that pooled in her eyes. But she could distinctly distinguish her tresses from her face which had gone pale.

It was short, her hair; too short that if she wore her leggings and tunic, she could be mistaken for a boy if she could somehow hide the feminine curves of her body.

"Apellia, what is taking you so long?" Deiopea asked as she entered her daughter's room. She was mortified by the scene that greeted her and choked out, "What, in Saturn's name, do you think you're doing?"

Moving rapidly, Deiopea grabbed the dagger before her daughter thought of cutting more things other than her hair and placed it on the far end of the ottoman. She wrapped an arm around the young girl in an attempt to liven her circulation since Apellia had turned deathly white.

"The old me could never live the new life I want for myself." She absentmindedly said. She looked at her mother whose face contorted with concern and pleaded, "Please, mother, from now on, call me Fuuko." She sobbed as her tears finally fell.

Finally, she was ready to live a new life.

-TBC-

**Character Check: **

Hellen: do not let the name fool you. This one's male and the founder of the Greece, Aeolus' grandfather.

Aeolus: he is in fact a very ambiguous character. Three people share this name and I decided to combine aspects of all these three personages into one. Supposedly he is not immortal but since some cultures consider him to be so, I chose to use that belief. He originally had twelve children but I found that there are seven sons attributed to him and six daughters (sometimes even seven if we include Arne but for this fic it is Arne who is his mother). All of these children however, belong to Enarete. Of Deiopea, ther were no children attributed to her and it fit perfectly as the background of Fuuko/Apellia's identity. Of these two wives, there is nothing that I could add that was not mentioned in the narrative that would be relevant to the story.

The Twelve Olympians: a quick look in Wikipedia would satisfy your curiosity of them and is suffeicient for whatever roles they may play in this fic. (The Titans as well)

Boreas, Zephyr, Notus and Eurus- the gods of the winds of the compass rose – North, West, South and East respectively.

The water divinities aforementioned:

Naiads and Nereids – water and sea nymphs

Triton and Proteus: other sons of Poseidon

Nereus – the son of the Titan Pontus and cousin of sorts to Poseidon

**Vocabulary and context disambiguation:**

[1] and [2] – please refer to mythological cross-referencing for in depth analysis

Aeolids - collective name for the children of Aeolus

Anemoi and Thuellai - various names for the destructive forces of the storm winds

Tartarus – the realm of the dead; the Underworld

Labrys – a double-edged, long-shafted axe which in various cultures represent the thunderbolt but more commonly used as a symbolism for power and authority specially of women, hence a symbol of matriarchy.

**Mythological cross-referencing:**

I would explain this by giving you guys brief descriptions and histories of the Aeolids and other mentioned Greek myths.

**Tantalus** – a king who is punished in the underworld by forever trying to relieve his hunger by trying to pick up the fruits of a tree which grew taller every time he reached or a river which ran deeper every time he leaned to have a drink. (Poor guy but he deserves it. Wiki would be the simplest source if you want to know his story a bit more)

**The Aeolids: this will explain the passages… **

**The seven sons:**

Sisyphus: King of Corinth. Betrayed Zeus and ended up in the Underworld forever in a spinning wheel. He is the grandfather of Bellerophon (hero).

Salmoneus: King of Elis. Pretended to be Zues and commanded his subjects to worship him instead of the god. Therefore… ended up dead. (Deluded yes. And clearly wanted the immortality he never inherited from his father). The father of Tyro (one of the famous women of Greece), great grandfather of Jason of the Argonauts and Nestor of the Trojan War. (I did say in the passages that the House of Aeolus begat many heroes and fair maids right)

Deioneus/ Deion: King of Phocis. Not as important as his descendants: Cephalus, Nisus, Asterodia and Odyssues. (told ya!)

Macarues/ Macar: The first to die… I think. Committed suicide after having incest with his sister.

Perieres: King of Messenia, some say Sparta. Father of Tyndareus, grandfather of Castor and Clytemnestra (Helen of Troy and Pollux don't count because they are the children of Zeus not Tyndareus)

Athamas: King of Orchomenus/ Thebes. Driven mad and tried to make his son immortal by boiling him… ALIVE! (sick Aeolids and their obsession with immortality). Father of Phrixus of the Golden Fleece, Melicertes who was turned into the lesser sea-god Palaemon (what do you know. They do succeed) and grandfather of Atlanta (the only female Argonaut.)

Cretheus: King of Thessaly. Died when the sons of his wife Tyro (yes the Tyro from above. Incest was rampant in the Royal houses of Ancient Greece. In fact I think if I weren't lazy I could connect everyone in this fic in one huge family tree. LOL) came back to help their mother when the king remarried.

**Of the daughters only two were prolific:**

Canace- given a dagger by Aeolus with which she was to kill herself for committing incest with her brother [I am sorely tempted to mention that it is this same dagger I had Fuuko use to cut her hair. I know I'm sick. But that's the truth behind greek myth. They're either heroic stories or sick tragedies.]

Alcyone – committed suicide after her husband Ceyx died in a storm at sea. [and well we know who causes the storms at sea clue… Aeolus. LOL. I really am sickeningly evil today]

The rest were: Peisidike, Calyce Perimede and Tanagra.

All of these children were dead even before the start of this fic.

**Of Daphne and Apollo**:

The story is found in Ovid's_ Metamorphoses _and is in fact one of my favorites.

In connection with From the Books of Ovid: FBO was inspired by Daphne and Apollo hence its title. And since Sodales is an offshoot of FBo, we could say it was inspired by that too.

* * *

A/N: I hope this was informative I do hope you like this enough to review.

Warning: I did not proof-read.

Lovelots,

Anne Raven


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